Mobile device case with a screen protector

ABSTRACT

A mobile device case including a housing sized to retain a mobile device. A screen protector removeably engageable with a portion of the housing is included, the screen protector including an engagement element at least partially concealable insertable within a portion of the housing.

This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/642,100, filed May 3, 2012, entitled MOBILEDEVICE CASE WITH A SCREEN PROTECTOR, the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD Background

Mobile devices, and in particular, mobile phones and tablet computers,have become more technology advanced, and as a result, more valuable, asthese devices often include a myriad of expensive and fragilecomponents. To protect these mobile devices from damage owing to impactforces, protective mobile device cases have been devised to cushion aswell as to conform to the mobile device.

Available protective mobile device cases often include a rigid orcushioned material in which the mobile device is inserted and whichsurrounds at least a portion of the mobile device. Other materials maybe included to cushion various components of the mobile device or toprovide a barrier to elements such as dust or water. In particular,flaps may be included on an outer silicone layer of the case and sizedto engage an inner rigid layer to protect the various apertures on themobile device, such as headphone and power ports.

Another typical feature of mobile device cases is a thin film affixed tothe mobile device case or affixed directly to a touch screen of a mobiledevice to protect the touch screen from dust and the like. These filmsoffer some scratch protection, however, such protective films eitheroffer little or no impact protection to the touch screen, as these filmsare highly flexible or made of non-rigid materials. Moreover, such filmsare either affixed to the mobile device case or the mobile device itselfand thus are difficult if not impossible to remove without damaging thefilm or the case.

SUMMARY

The present invention advantageously provides for a mobile device caseincluding a housing sized to retain a mobile device. A screen protectorremoveably engageable with a portion of the housing is included. Thescreen protector includes an engagement element at least partiallyconcealably insertable within a portion of the housing.

In another embodiment, the mobile device case includes a unitary housingsized to retain a mobile device in which the housing defines a groove. Asubstantially rigid screen protector defining a lip is included. Atleast a portion of the lip is retainable within the groove.

In yet another embodiment, the mobile device case includes a unitaryhousing sized to retain a mobile device and a groove. A transparentscreen protector has a substantially planar surface. The screenprotector includes a lip extending a predetermined distance away fromthe planar surface of the screen protector. At least a portion of thelip is retained within the groove. The screen protector includes a ridgesized to contour a portion of the mobile device extending in a directionsubstantially opposite a direction to which the lip extends. A shellsized to be at least partially received within a portion of the housingis included, the shell operating to secure the screen protector to thehousing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention, and theattendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a disassembled view of a mobile device case constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the assembled mobile device case shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the screen protector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through Section A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of Detail B shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the assembled mobile device case shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 7 cross-sectional view through Section X-X of the mobile devicecase shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of Detail A shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the assembled mobile device caseshown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring to the drawings in which like reference designators referto like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a mobile device casedesignated generally as “10.” The case 10 may include a housing 12 sizedto receive and/or retain a mobile device. For example, the housing 12may be sized to retain and at least partially conform to an IPHONE 4/4Sor other makes and models of electronic mobile devices. In an exemplaryembodiment, the housing 12 is a unitary one-piece structure composed ofa flexible material, for example, silicone or a material with adurometer of approximately 60 A, or may be composed of a flexiblematerial with a higher or lower durometer than silicone.

The housing 12 may include a plurality of side portions having a heightsufficient to retain the mobile device. For example, the housing 12 maydefine four side portions 13, designated 13 a, 13 b, 13 c, and 13 d,sized to retain an IPHONE 4/4S. Alternatively, the housing 12 may be atwo-piece clam shell structure. The housing 12 may include one or moreopenings 14 sized to facilitate access to various controls of the mobiledevice, for example, a mute switch, on/off switch, volume controls, andthe like. The housing 12 may further define protrusions or otherportions that contour and conceal within the housing 12 the variouscontrols of the mobile device, for example, volume buttons or otheractuators of the mobile device. The housing 12 may further includecorner portions 16 that are substantially bulbous and protrude adistance away from the housing. In particular, the corner portions 16may be sized such that should the device be dropped and experience animpact force from a surface, the corner portions 16 may contact thesurface before the remainder of the housing 12 contacts the surface.

The housing 12 may further include one or more plugs 18 that may be dieor laser cut into the housing 12. The plugs 18 may be movably coupled tothe housings 12 such that when they are in a first position, they aresubstantially flush with an outer surface of the housing 12; when theplugs 18 are in a second position, they extend distance outward from thehousing 12; and when the plugs 18 are in a third position, they extendinward to the interior of the housing 12 and are sized to be removeablyinserted within a portion of the mobile device. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the plug 18 may be sized to directly fill a plug port on amobile device. Other plugs 18, such as a headphone jack plug may also beincluded and be directly insertable within a portion of the mobiledevice.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the housing 12 may define a planarrecessed portion 20 on a back portion of the housing 12. In particular,the planar recessed portion 20 may be defined along a portion of thehousing 12 in which the mobile device is not inserted, for example, backportion 21. In particular, the planar recessed portion 20 may be definedbetween a first raised side 22 and a second raised side 24. The firstraised side 22 and the second raised side 24 may each include a one ormore of the corner portions 16 and may further extend along asubstantially orthogonally disposed side of the housing 12 to provide araised surface for other features of the housing 12. For example, thefirst raised side 22 may extend along side portion 13 b of the housing12 that defines the volume controls and/or includes one or more openings14. Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment, the planar recessed portion20 may extend along more than one surface of the housing 12, forexample, along the back portion 21 and along side portion 13 b of thehousing 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the planar recessed portion 20 spans the distancebetween two corner portions 16 side 13 b of the housing 12, and on theopposite side portion 13 d, the planar recessed portion 20 spans aportion of the distance between two corner portions 16, as shown in FIG.2. The planar recessed portion 20 of the housing 12 may further definean aperture 26 sized to receive a camera module 28. The camera module 28provides a physical barrier between a flash and image capture feature ofthe mobile device camera.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, a substantially rigid shell 30 may beincluded with the device case 10, the shell 30 being sized to bereceived within the recess 20 of the housing 12. The shell 30 may be aunitary structure that form fits within the recess 20 between the firstraised side 22 and the second raised side 24 such that the corners 16are exposed. In particular, the shell 30 may be substantially composedof polycarbonate or other substantially rigid materials, such that whenthe shell 30 is received within the silicone recess 20, the shell 30 isremoveably affixed to the housing 12. The shell 30 may further includeat least one extension 32, on either or both sides of the shell 30 thatengage a portion of the sides of the planar recessed portion 20. Theextension 32 may define a slot 34 sized to receive a portion of aholster (not shown) such that the housing 12 and the shell 30 may becoupled to the holster. The extension 32 may further operate to squeezea portion of housing 12 within the shell 30 such that the housing 12 istightly engaged to shell 30. The extension 32 may further include a tabor other fastening element (not shown) that engages a portion of thehousing 12 to further provide for the releasable attachment of the shell30 to the housing 12.

The shell 30 may also include materials such as TPU, silicone, or thelike to provide resiliency to the shell 30 during an impact event. Forexample, the shell 30 may include a layer of TPU on some or all of anouter portion and/or inner portion of the shell 30 to provide acushioned layer during an impact event. The shell 30 may also include ashell aperture 36 to which the camera module 28 may be releasablyattached.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a screen protector 38 is releasablyengageable to the housing 12. The screen protector 38 may be sized tofit over a display, whether touch screen or non-touch screen, of amobile device. In particular, the screen protector 38 may be sized to atleast substantially cover a face of the mobile device that includes thedisplay. Alternatively, the screen protector 38 may be sized toexclusively cover the display of the mobile device, while a keypad orother push-button features are left uncovered by the screen protector38. The length and width of the screen protector 38 may be substantiallycommensurate with the length and width of the mobile device. Forexample, the length and width of the screen protector 38 may besubstantially same or slightly larger than the length and width of themobile device to be retained with the case 10. The screen protector 38may be composed of a substantially rigid and transparent material, forexample, polycarbonate, and may include electrical properties such thatthe controls of the touch screen of the mobile device are actuablethrough the screen protector 38. The screen protector 38 may besufficiently thick, for example, approximately a millimeter or more,such that it is substantially rigid. The screen protector 38 may furtherdefine one or more screen protector apertures 40 sized to provide accessto one or more controls on the mobile device, for example, an on/off orhome switch, and to provide access to speakers.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the screen protector 38 includes anengagement element 42 extending and protruding around at least a portionof the screen protector 38. The engagement element 42 may be a lip orother element that releaseably engages with a portion of the housing 12.The lip 42 may be composed of substantially the same material as that ofthe screen protector 38 and may extend in a direction substantiallyorthogonal to the major plane surface 43 of the screen protector 38. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 4, the screen protector 38 may define asubstantially planar portion. The lip 42 may be included around anentire, or substantially an entire, portion of a perimeter regiondefined by the screen protector 38 and may extend vertically in asubstantially perpendicular direction from the screen protector 38. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 1, the lip 42 extends around the entireperimeter region. In an exemplary embodiment, the lip 42 extendsapproximately two millimeters away from a surface 43 of the screenprotector 38 and may be approximately two millimeters in width. The lip42 may be substantially uniform in shape or alternatively may taper inwidth as it extends outward from the surface 43 of the screen protector38.

A ridge 44 is disposed at a position distal the lip 42 and extends in adirection opposite to that of the lip 42 and substantially orthogonal tothe planar surface 43 of screen protector 38. The ridge 44 may bethinner than the lip 42 and may define a contact surface sized andcontoured to match the contour of the particular mobile device to whichthe screen protector 38 is to be engaged. The ridge 44 may extend aroundat least a portion of the screen protector 38 at a position distal tothe lip 42 such that the ridge 44 is positioned a distance away from theouter edge of the mobile device when the mobile device is retainedwithin the housing 12. In other embodiments, the lip 42 and the ridge 44are included along the same vertical axis, and in other embodiments, thelip 42 is included at a position proximal the ridge 44. In an exemplaryembodiment, the ridge 44 and the planar surface 43 of the screenprotector 38 cooperate to snap-fit over the side portion of a mobiledevice or alternatively may be slid into position over the touch screen.For example, the screen protector 38 may be snapped into position overthe mobile device or alternatively may be slid into place depending onthe contour of the ridge 44. Of note, although the embodiment isdescribed with reference to a planar surface 43, the invention is notlimited to such. It is contemplated that the surface 43 need not be flatand can have some curvature as long as operation of an enclosed mobiledevice is not hindered.

Now referring to FIGS. 6-8, the housing 12 includes a groove 46 (bestseen in FIG. 8) sized to receive and substantially conceal at least aportion of the lip 42. In particular, a portion of the housing 12contouring the side portions of the mobile device when retained with thehousing 12, may extend to a height greater than the height of the mobiledevice, such that a portion of the housing 12 extends a distance abovethe screen protector 38 and the lip 42. This extended portion of thehousing 12 may be molded to otherwise bend inward toward the interior ofthe housing 12 to define a screen protector receiving portion 48. In anexemplary embodiment, the screen protector receiving portion 48 may havea substantially curved or hook-like shape and span the length of each ofthe side portions of the housing 12. It is contemplated, however, thatthe screen protector receiving portion 48 may span any portion, or all,of the housing 12 including any side portion of the housing 12, and mayextend entirely or partially along any of the side portions of thehousing 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the screen protectorreceiving portion 48 is disposed along at least two side portions of thehousing 12 that define the length of the housing 12.

A portion of the screen protector receiving portion 48 may bepositionable on a first side of the lip 42 and another portion of thescreen protector receiving portion 48 may be positionable on a secondside of the lip 42 with the groove 46 defined there between. The groove46 may be sized such that the lip 42 is friction fit within the groove46, such that the screen protector 38 is restricted from movinglaterally when the lip 42 is disposed within the groove 46. In anembodiment, the screen protector 38 may be movable longitudinally alongits major axis when the lip 42 is disposed within the groove 46 suchthat it may be slideably removed separated from the housing 12. Inanother embodiment, the screen protector 38 may be removed only when thescreen protector receiving portion 48 is disengaged from the lip 42 by,for example, folding the screen protector receiving portion 48 back.

Referring to FIG. 8, another portion of the screen protector receivingportion 48 may abut the ridge 44 when the lip 42 is disposed within thegroove 46, which may operate to prevent the screen protector 38 frommoving when installed, and may further operate to prevent a lateralforce from being transferred to the screen protector 38. Moreover,because the screen protector receiving portion 48 is raised from thesurface 43 of the screen protector 38, it operates to cushion the screenprotector in the event of the mobile device case 10 being dropped. Thescreen protector receiving portion 48 may further be sized to partiallybe disposable within a portion of the shell 30 when the shell 30 isdisposed within the recess 20 or within a portion of the housing 12,such that the shell 30 operates to secure the screen protector 38 to thehousing 12. In particular, the screen protector receiving portion 48 maydefine a curvature such that a portion of the screen protector receivingportion 48 contours a portion of an interior portion of the cornerportions 16 or an interior portion of the shell 30.

Now referring to FIG. 9, the screen protector 38 may be disposed withinthe housing 12 such that it is recessed beneath at least a portion ofthe perimeter of the housing 12. As such, should the case 10 be droppedon the face of the housing 12 including the screen protector 38, thehousing 12 may impact a surface first to shield the screen protector 38from impact. Additionally, when the screen protector 38 is engaged tothe housing 12, the lip 42, ridge 44, and groove 46 may be substantiallyconcealed by portions of the housing 12.

To remove the screen protector 38 from the housing 12, the shell 30 maybe removed from the planar recessed portion 20 by, for example, pressingon the sides of the corners 16 of the housing 12 and pulling the shell30 off of the housing 12. The screen protector receiving portion 48 maythen be folded or otherwise manipulated such that the lip 42 isdisengaged from the groove 46. The screen protector 38 may then bepulled or slid off the mobile device.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited to what has been particularly shown anddescribed herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above tothe contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawingsare not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possiblein light of the above teachings without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mobile device case for retaining a mobiledevice, the mobile device case comprising: a housing defining aninterior dimensioned to releasably retain the mobile device; an at leastsubstantially planar screen protector removeably engageable with aportion of the housing, the at least substantially planar screenprotector including: an at least substantially planar portion; anengagement element at least partially concealably insertable within aportion of the housing, the engagement element being a lip, the lipprotruding in a direction substantially orthogonal to the at leastsubstantially planar portion; a ridge protruding a predetermineddistance away from the at least substantially planar portion, the ridgebeing positioned proximal to the lip; and the housing including a groovesized to receive at least a portion of the lip.
 2. The mobile devicecase of claim 1, wherein the housing is comprised of a silicone gel. 3.The mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the at least substantiallyplanar screen protector is comprised of polycarbonate.
 4. The mobiledevice case of claim 1, wherein the ridge extends in a directionsubstantially opposite of the direction the lip extends and is sized tocontour a portion of the mobile device.
 5. The mobile device case ofclaim 1, wherein the at least substantially planar screen protectorincludes at least one aperture.
 6. The mobile device case of claim 1,further comprising a substantially rigid shell engageable with thehousing.
 7. The mobile device case of claim 6, wherein the shell isarranged to secure the at least substantially planar screen protector tothe housing.
 8. The mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the housingdefines at least one flap sized to be directly received within acorresponding port on the mobile device.
 9. A mobile device case forreleasably retaining a mobile device, the mobile device case comprising:a unitary housing including a groove and defining an interior having alength, the housing sized to releasably retain the mobile device; asubstantially rigid, transparent and at least substantially planarscreen protector having: a perimeter region; a lip, the lip beingdisposed around the perimeter region, at least a portion of the lipbeing retainable within the groove; a ridge extending in a directionsubstantially opposite a direction to which the lip extends; and thesubstantially rigid, transparent at least substantially planar screenprotector having a length that is substantially the same as the lengthof the interior of the housing.
 10. The mobile device case of claim 9,wherein the housing defines a recessed portion, and wherein the mobiledevice case further includes a substantially rigid shell sized to be atleast partially received within the recessed portion.
 11. The mobiledevice case of claim 10, wherein the shell is arranged to secure thesubstantially rigid, transparent at least substantially planar screenprotector to the housing.
 12. The mobile device case of claim 9, whereinthe substantially rigid, transparent at least substantially planarscreen protector has at least one aperture.
 13. The mobile device caseof claim 9, wherein the substantially rigid, transparent at leastsubstantially planar screen protector is comprised of polycarbonate. 14.The mobile device case of claim 9, wherein the housing defines at leastone flap sized to be directly received within a corresponding port onthe mobile device.
 15. A mobile device case for retaining a mobiledevice, comprising: a unitary housing defining a groove and having: alength; and an interior sized to releasably retain the mobile device; anat least substantially planar and transparent screen protector extendingsubstantially the entire length of the unitary housing and having: an atleast substantially planar portion; a lip extending a predetermineddistance away from the at least substantially planar portion, at least aportion of the lip being retainable within the groove; a ridge sized tocontour a portion of the mobile device, the ridge extending in adirection substantially opposite a direction to which the lip extends;and a shell sized to be at least partially received within a portion ofthe housing, the shell arranged to secure the at least substantiallyplanar and transparent screen protector to the housing.